Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto was ejected from Wednesday night's 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates following a heated argument over balls and strikes with home plate umpire Bill Welke, and MLB took action Friday, condemning the star's actions.
According to MLB Communications, the league has banned Votto for two games, but he won't start serving the suspension until his appeal is heard:
Votto has declined to discuss the ejection or the incident following it. This differs from the apology he gave following a May 6 game against Pittsburgh where he made contact with umpire Chris Conroy during a verbal altercation.
"I feel like, as a major league player, I have a responsibility to be a good example for younger players," Votto said then, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay. "And making contact with an umpire is unacceptable. During this entire thing, that's the one thing I feel very remorseful for."
According to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, Votto has now been ejected three times this season and seven times over the course of his nine-year career. Sheldon also noted Votto was suspended for one game after bumping into Conroy.
Votto has been on a tear since the All-Star break, batting .392 with 12 home runs, 29 RBI and an on-base percentage of .568. His average and OBP also rank at the top of the big leagues during that span,
And while the Reds are floundering in last place in the National League Central, the team needs Votto in tow to try to offer a silver lining as the season draws to a close.
After snagging an 11-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, Cincinnati will look to keep things rolling Friday and at least snag a split of the four-game set before the weekend starts.
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